Mr. Speaker, it would seem to me that the only party misleading Canadians is the Reform Party.
House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2000, with 56% of the vote.
Human Resources Development February 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, it would seem to me that the only party misleading Canadians is the Reform Party.
Human Resources Development February 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, if the member would like to provide me with that information I will review it and provide him with an answer.
Human Resources Development February 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, this is public knowledge. I received a briefing on the full internal audit on November 17.
Human Resources Development February 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, this information is public information. Quite frankly, I am surprised that the hon. member does not know what tax dollars are being spent in her riding of Halifax. I would suggest that she go to her Human Resources Development Canada office, sit down with the director and go through all the projects.
Human Resources Development February 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, not only am I convinced that the plan is going to work but an independent outside official thinks it is going to work, and that would be the auditor general.
I remind the House that the auditor general says of our plan: “In our opinion the proposed approach presents a thorough plan for corrective action to address the immediate control problems that were identified”.
Human Resources Development February 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise the hon. member again that a billion dollars has not disappeared. We know where it is.
I say again that I take my responsibility as minister seriously. That is why we are implementing the plan and we will build a quality administration to ensure this never happens again.
Human Resources Development February 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, here again the opposition continues on this firing and resignation treadmill. I want to tell the House that while the opposition members are on that treadmill I am making distance.
We are implementing a six point plan so that we will have a quality administration of grants and contributions in my department, so that we can track every working tax dollar and that Canadians can measure us by our results.
Supply February 8th, 2000
Madam Speaker, the assurance I can give the member is that I am taking this seriously. I have made this a priority for my department and the department has rallied. We have a plan of action that will work.
I can confirm again that we have gone outside the department and asked the experts to help us build the appropriate strategies so that we can ensure we follow every tax dollar and ensure that it is working well for all Canadians.
Supply February 8th, 2000
Madam Speaker, there was a plan. The point of all this is that we are to improve the application and the implementation of better measures of management because that is the right thing to do.
There is another point I would like to make. I say to you, Madam Speaker, that if the hon. member has any evidence of wrongdoing please have him bring it forward so that we can have the officials in the appropriate jurisdictions deal with it.
Supply February 8th, 2000
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to talk about this matter. It gives me a chance to explain to the House the circumstances in my riding of Brant. The hon. member is wrong with the numbers that she is quoting on the unemployment rates in 1995 and again in 1997. The rates were acceptable and part of the CJF and TJF programs.
My riding of Brant has suffered extraordinarily in the course of the last decade. The businesses that supported many men and women in Brantford, Massey Ferguson and White Farms, closed up. The rates of unemployment were extraordinary. We had to diversify our economy. As a result of the transitional jobs fund we have really helped my community turn the corner. That is what this is all about.
Just as another point of interest, as part of transitional jobs fund three-quarters of the projects were in ridings of 12% or greater, but a quarter were for projects in ridings where the unemployment level was a pocket of high unemployment, and the majority of those projects were found in opposition ridings.